Right to Know

See complete regulations below on requesting records from Maidencreek Township.

Open Records Officer: Christina Hafer

clhafer [at] maidencreek.net (Email)

Fax: 610-926-6314

By Mail: Maidencreek Township

PO Box 319

Blandon, PA 19510

In Person: 1 Quarry Road, Reading, PA 19605

The standard form to request a record

• Fees may be charged for the duplication of records at a rate of 25 cents a page (each side).
• The requestor is responsible for the actual cost of postage.
• To certify a record as "True and Correct" the cost is $2.00 per certification.
• If the estimated cost of copies exceeds $100, prepayment is required prior to producing the requested public records.

To challenge this Agency's response to a RTKL request, you may file an appeal within 15 business days with:

Office of Open Records

333 Market Street, 16th Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17101-2234

Phone: 717-346-9903 Fax: 717-425-5343

openrecords [at] pa.gov (Email)

Website

These regulations are promulgated by the Board of Supervisors, Maidencreek township, Pennsylvania in order to implement Maidencreek Township's policy for access to public records pursuant to Act 100 of 2002.A request for access to public records shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the Township Secretary and delivered: in person to the Township office during regular business hours, mailed to the Township Secretary, faxed or emailed. All requests for access to public records, whether the request relates to inspection of documents or duplication of documents, shall be on the form specified by Maidencreek Township. The name and address of the requestor shall be clearly disclosed upon the written request form. Maidencreek Township will not fulfill verbal requests or anonymous requests for access to public records. Access to public records shall be given in one of two ways, according to the request: by personal inspection at the Township Building and/or by photocopy. The written request for access to public records must describe the records being sought with sufficient specificity to enable the Township Secretary to determine exactly what public record is being requested. Maidencreek Township does not maintain records in electronic format and therefore cannot always fulfill requests for records in electronic format. In responding to a request for access to public records, the Township Secretary will not be required to create any public record, which does not already exist or to compile, maintain, format or organize public records in a manner in which the Township does not currently compile, maintain, format or organize its documents. If the Township Secretary determines that a requested public record contains information which is not subject to access as a public record, the Township Secretary may deny access to that portion of a public record which is not subject to access, by physically separating the same or may redact the information that is not subject to access. Upon receipt of a written request for access to public record, the Township Secretary shall make a good faith effort to determine if the records requested are public records and to respond as promptly as possible under the circumstances existing at the time of the request. The Township Secretary shall, in any event, respond to a written request for access to public record within five (5) business days after it is received. If the Township Secretary does not respond within five (5) business days, the requester may treat the lack of response as a deemed denial. If the Township determines that one of the exceptions set forth below applies, the Township Secretary shall send written notification to the requestor within five (5) business days after receipt of the request, notifying the requestor that the matter is being reviewed, the reason for the review, and a reasonable date that a response is expected to be provided. If the date that a response is expected to be provided is in excess of thirty (30) days following the five (5) business days allowed after the receipt of a written request, the request for access may be deemed denied. Exceptions to disclosure within five (5) days: the request for access requires redaction of the public record the request for access requires a retrieval of a public record stored in some remote location a timely response to the request for access cannot be accomplished due to bona fide and specified staffing limitations legal review is necessary to determine whether the requested record is a public record subject to access the requestor has not complied with Township policy regarding access to public records the requestor refuses to pay applicable fees. If the Township's response is a denial of a written request for access, in whole or in part, a written response shall be issued and shall include: a description of the record requested the specific reasons for the denial, including a citation of supporting legal authority if the denial is a result of a determination that the record requested is not a public record, the specific reason for the township's determination shall be included the typed name, business address and business telephone number and signature of the Township Secretary, upon whose authority the denial is being issued the date of the response an outline of the procedures to appeal the denial. If a written request for access is denied or deemed denied, the requestor may file an appeal with the Office of Open Records. If a person requesting access to public records so requires, the Township Secretary will certify documents as true and correct copies of the matters contained in the Township files. The Township may charge for each "true and correct" certification of documents. The Township may, in its discretion, waive any fees for duplication of public records. When inspection of public records is requested, the requestor shall inspect the records at the Township Building in a location, and in the manner, as specified by the Township Secretary, in order to protect the Township records from theft or modification.